The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup is about to get even more exciting. Now on to the knockout stage, a simple mistake could cause a team to end their title bids prematurely. Which of the remaining 16 teams gets to hoist the trophy at the end of the tournament? Read on as a collection of experts sound off on their picks for throughout the Round of 16 until the final of the 2015 FIFA World Cup.
Experts Picks for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final
USA Today
Round
Teams to Advance
Round of 16
China, USA, Germany, France, Sweden, Japan, England, Canada
Quarterfinals
USA, France, Japan, England
Semifinals
USA and Japan
Final
USA (Champion)
The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup almost panned out to Martin Rogers’ pre-tournament expectations. His pick of Sweden advancing to the quarterfinals may not pan out as it takes on powerhouse Germany in the Round of 16. Instead, the winner of Brazil vs. Australia may take Sweden’s spot in the quarterfinals.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Rogers’ pick for a rematch of the epic 2011 Women’s World Cup final between the United States and Japan is still very much alive. USA and Japan are on different brackets in the knockout stage of the World Cup; the only possibility of them meeting is in the final.
The Americans lost the 2011 final to Japan on penalty kicks, then they faced the same Japan team in the 2012 Olympic gold medal game. The United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) won that match 2-1.
Jill Ellis’ squad should be tough enough to bring home the trophy this time around. The USWNT’s midfield plays a more physical game than Japan’s smaller midfielders. The Americans are also loaded all across the field with an excellent forward in Abby Wambach, a stellar midfielder in Megan Rapinoe and an all-world goalie in Hope Solo. This year’s World Cup seems destined for the star-studded American cast, Rogers believes.
Sports Illustrated
Round
Teams to Advance
Round of 16
Netherlands, USA, Germany, France, Brazil, Japan, Norway, Canada
Quarterfinals
USA, France, Brazil, Canada
Semifinals
USA and Brazil
Final
USA (Champion)
Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl believes that the USWNT has a clear path to win the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It’s especially more manageable after they handily won Group D — widely considered as this year’s Group of Death.
The Americans weren’t firing on all cylinders in the tough Group of Death, but they did have some impressive performances. Megan Rapinoe scored two goals and assisted in another in the group stage. Abby Wambach scored just once, but World Cup debutante Christen Press showed some skill in scoring her first career World Cup goal.
Expect more from the USWNT in the knockout stage as it starts its bid for their first World Cup since 1999.
Fox Sports
Experts picking USA
Experts picking Germany
Experts picking France
Experts picking Sweden
World Cup Winner
Tony DiCicco, Monica Gonzalez, Stuart Holden, Angela Hucles, Christine Latham, Heather Mitts, Leslie Osborne, Grant Wahl, Eric Wynlada
Ariane Hingst, Danielle Slaton
Kelly Smith, Cat Whitehill
Alexi Lalas
USA may be the best team in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. A slew of experts at Fox Sports are showing their support for the USWNT. Press, Rapinoe and Wambach have already scored for the United States, but there’s still a couple of players waiting for their turn under the spotlight.
Carli Lloyd and Sydney Leroux are also competent goal-scorers for the Americans. Lloyd has 63 international goals in 198 caps. Leroux has 35 international goals in 74 caps. While the United States boast plenty firepower, they also have a tight defense headed by all-world goalie Hope Solo.
Solo is one tough goalie to crack. She holds the record for most career international clean sheets with 78 following the United States’ 1-0 victory against Nigeria in the team’s final group stage match.
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